During the seasons of Lent and Easter, after many weeks of preparation, it is common to see excited children and young people celebrating two momentous sacramental moments with their families and their parishes: First Penance and First Eucharist. Read on for background on these sacraments and tips for making the preparation process for these sacraments more responsive to the needs of today’s children and families.

Discover five helpful tips to inspire, prepare, calm, and celebrate with children preparing for the first reception of the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Penance and Reconciliation.

As small hands extend outward to receive Christ in the form of bread and wine, the entire community is drawn together in sacred memory. No wonder that the celebration of the first experience of communion takes place during the Easter season. Download a prayer for use in the family or class.

Despite the hardships he faced, Saint Francis of Assisi found joy in life and delight in the gifts of God's creation. This is the legacy that has been handed down through the ages to those of us struggling to keep a foothold in the midst of stress, sorrow and difficulties.

Help families to commemorate and prepare for their child’s First Eucharist with this kit filled with special resources.

The purpose of this blog post is to help families utilize strategies to worship together, despite the challenges and distractions that parents often face when bringing children to Mass and the sacraments. Here I offer three suggestions for all families to celebrate the sacraments well together, whether you have one child, or six like me!

Download an eBook offering suggestions for teaching young people about and engaging them at Mass.

Presented by Patrice Spirou and colleagues of the Archdiocese of Atlanta on May 17, 2022. St. John Paul II tells us that, “Family catechesis . . . precedes, accompanies and enriches all other forms of catechesis” (Apostolic Exhortation “On Catechesis in Our Time,” Catechesi tradendae 68). These words challenge us to examine our thinking about how to pass on the Catholic faith within the parish or school we serve, and specifically to look at how to encourage the formation of the entire family. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read, “The family is the community in which, from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honor God, and make good use of freedom” (CCC 2207). Since the family is essential in the work of catechesis, this webinar discusses how to center ministry around family catechesis, which allows parishes and schools to aid the family by providing the education, encouragement, and accompaniment that families need. It can also be helpful for parents, catechists, and so on, who wish to understand aspects of implementing family catechesis within a parish, or who simply desire to grow in their spiritual lives in such a way as to lead their own families closer to Christ.

Hosted by Sr. Mary Michael Fox, OP of the Dominicans Sisters of St. Cecelia of Nashville on May 10, 2022. The principle of “fidelity to God and fidelity to man” stands as a fundamental guide for catechists as they make choices regarding catechetical content and methodology. In practice, this principle requires more than a “see-saw” balance of the two; it requires a deeply integrated understanding of both the nature of God’s revelation and the nature of the human person for whom God’s revelation is meant. For an understanding of God’s revelation, we have the wisdom of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, Papal encyclicals, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. For an understanding of the human person—particularly the child—we have the wisdom of Dr. Maria Montessori. Maria Montessori was a Catholic medical doctor, scientist, educator, and Thomist! Without exaggeration, she ranks among the great thinkers of her time and ours. It is unfortunate that in the United States too often her insights have been egregiously misunderstood and misapplied and for this reason her teachings have gone largely unexamined by Catholic catechists and educators. Yet, her pedagogical and anthropological wisdom promises to guide catechists in an authentic renewal that guarantees fidelity to God and fidelity to the child. Join us in this webinar as we explore a few salient insights of Maria Montessori regarding the nature of the child and in particular the nature of children’s religious education. Catechists participating in this webinar can expect gain: - A general knowledge of Maria Montessori’s educational project including her philosophy of education. - A general knowledge of Montessori’s catechetical experiment and its underlying principles of education, specifically children’s catechesis. - An overview of Montessori’s work “The Four Planes of Education” and “The Human Tendencies.” - A few practical and immediate ideas for applying Montessori’s pedagogical and anthropological principles in catechesis.

Presented by Dr. James Pauley, Franciscan Catechetics Professor and Chris Carstens, Director of the Office of Sacred Worship for the Diocese of La Crosse. Apr 26, 2022. There is a vital relationship between the liturgy and evangelization – it is that sacred action which is most essential to forming genuine disciples and enabling authentic conversion. The Church’s ever-new vision places maximum emphasis on apprenticing people into an active and fruitful sacramental life in Christ. This is the only true path to human fulfillment – to lasting peace, joy, and belonging. This webinar will explore how the liturgy forms and transforms us, and what catechists and teachers can do to prepare people for the liturgical encounter?